- A
Disable application identification for SSL traffic.
Why wrong: Disabling would not help.
- B
Enable HTTP/2 protocol decoding.
Why wrong: HTTP/2 is a protocol, but without decryption, still encrypted.
- C
Enable SSL decryption for the traffic.
Decryption reveals the underlying application.
- D
Allow sessions with application 'incomplete' in policy.
Why wrong: Allowing does not improve identification.
Question 149 of 516
PCNSE Securing Traffic and App-ID Practice Question
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of securing traffic and app-id. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A firewall shows session logs with application 'incomplete' for many SSL connections. Which action should be taken to improve App-ID accuracy?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable SSL decryption for the traffic.
The 'incomplete' application label indicates that the firewall could not fully identify the application because the traffic was encrypted. Enabling SSL decryption allows the firewall to inspect the decrypted payload, which is necessary for App-ID to accurately classify the application. Without decryption, App-ID can only rely on metadata like IP addresses and ports, which is often insufficient for SSL connections.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disable application identification for SSL traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling would not help.
- ✗
Enable HTTP/2 protocol decoding.
Why it's wrong here
HTTP/2 is a protocol, but without decryption, still encrypted.
- ✓
Enable SSL decryption for the traffic.
Why this is correct
Decryption reveals the underlying application.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Allow sessions with application 'incomplete' in policy.
Why it's wrong here
Allowing does not improve identification.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think enabling HTTP/2 decoding (Option B) will solve the issue, but HTTP/2 is a transport protocol, not a decryption mechanism; without SSL decryption, the firewall still cannot see the encrypted payload regardless of the HTTP version.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSL decryption works by intercepting the TLS handshake, re-encrypting with a firewall-generated certificate, and then inspecting the plaintext. App-ID uses multiple identification methods (signature-based, behavioral, and heuristic) on the decrypted data to pinpoint the application. In real-world scenarios, failing to decrypt traffic from cloud-based applications (e.g., Office 365, Salesforce) often results in 'incomplete' labels, which can lead to misconfigured security policies and undetected threats.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PCNSE exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Securing Traffic and App-ID — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Securing Traffic and App-ID practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCNSE questions
516 questions across all exam domains
- →
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer PCNSE study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCNSE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCNSE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage, Monitor and Operate practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Manage, Monitor and Operate.
Securing Traffic and App-ID practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Traffic and App-ID.
Securing Users and Applications with Authentication practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Users and Applications with Authentication.
Decryption and SSL Inspection practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Decryption and SSL Inspection.
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability.
Deploy and Configure Firewalls practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Deploy and Configure Firewalls.
Core Concepts and Architecture practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Core Concepts and Architecture.
Secure Access and VPN practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Secure Access and VPN.
Troubleshoot practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Troubleshoot.
PCNSE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE fundamentals.
PCNSE scenario practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE scenario.
PCNSE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCNSE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Securing Traffic and App-ID — This question tests Securing Traffic and App-ID — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable SSL decryption for the traffic. — The 'incomplete' application label indicates that the firewall could not fully identify the application because the traffic was encrypted. Enabling SSL decryption allows the firewall to inspect the decrypted payload, which is necessary for App-ID to accurately classify the application. Without decryption, App-ID can only rely on metadata like IP addresses and ports, which is often insufficient for SSL connections.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More PCNSE practice questions
- Arrange the steps to enable and configure GlobalProtect on a Palo Alto Networks firewall.
- Order the steps to upgrade the PAN-OS software on a standalone firewall.
- An administrator notices that traffic from zone A to zone B is being dropped silently. Security rules are in place. Trou…
- Which component of the PAN-OS architecture is responsible for processing security policies and performing packet inspect…
- A company has configured a security policy that allows HTTP traffic from the internal network 10.0.0.0/8 to the internet…
- An organization wants to map user identity from Active Directory for traffic coming from internal LAN users without inst…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCNSE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Palo Alto Networks certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PCNSE exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.